Youth Corps all-stars Annemarie D. and Lauren S. joined Grades of Green this past Saturday to take part in the annual Coastal Cleanup Day. Sponsored by the California Coastal Commission and coordinated throughout LA County by Heal the Bay, the event brought together more than 10,000 volunteers from all across Southern California to help restore local beaches and waterways back to its natural beauty.
Armed with the support of friends and family, the Grades of Green team spent the morning handpicking thousands of pieces of polystyrene off of Dockweiler Beach. The tiny culprits of once useful foam cups and containers are a stark reminder of the problem with using single-use, disposable products. The usual suspects—cigarette butts, plastic straws, and food & candy wrappers—were among the buckets of trash that Grades of Green helped remove off the beach. Ready to stand against polystyrene? Check out the Polystyrene Activity for ideas on how to implement a ban in your community.
A very special thanks goes out to Annemarie and Lauren for helping Grades of Green make our beaches a clean and safe place to visit. Interested in becoming apart of this year’s Youth Corps? Applications are due by 5pm this Friday, September 23rd. Don’t wait, apply today!